


In All the World, I Found You

by UnderTheBedAndInYourHead



Category: Percy Jackson and the Olympians - Rick Riordan, The Heroes of Olympus - Rick Riordan
Genre: Almost got run over, Angst with a Happy Ending, Cook Percy, Flour incident, Fluff, I'm new at this thing, M/M, Not sure what type of AU, Oops, Prince Jason, Royalty, Some Humor, Some sort of AU, maybe some smut..., more food, poor Percy
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-02-15
Updated: 2016-09-13
Packaged: 2018-05-20 19:52:11
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply, Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 8
Words: 16,317
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6022663
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/UnderTheBedAndInYourHead/pseuds/UnderTheBedAndInYourHead
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Percy has never been much for money and after saving for weeks, he and his mother manage to save enough for a single sack of flour.<br/>Prince Jason just had to show up and make a mess.<br/>He just had to.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. The annoyance of Percy Jackson

**Author's Note:**

> This has been floating in my head for months now. Years, actually. I'm just glad I've finally gotten it down in a way that I semi-approve of. I do wish it would flow a little better though.  
> Also, can some one explain to me what 'Skins' are?

The weight on Percy’s back was comforting. A sack of clean, white flour slung over his shoulder, somehow making him feel lighter than he had in a long while. He whistled as he walked down the dusty street, feet leaving puffs of dirt in their wake. Although he had emptied his pockets that day and there was no longer the sound of jingling coins following his movements, Percy still found himself in a good mood. He and his mother had saved up for weeks in order to purchase this sack of flour, hiding the money from Gabe as to keep it from ending up spent on alcohol and his constant gambling habit. Percy loved anything that could spite his disgusting step father.  
It was a breezy day, he could feel the cold blowing past his threadbare clothing, his feet were shoeless and felt as though they were made of ice. He had never had a high tolerance for cold and the fact that his family had no change to spare for a new pair of boots only made it worse. The autumn months would soon reach an unwelcome end and become winter. Snow would fall and there would be nothing to protect him from the cold. On other days, Percy would most likely think about it and dread the coming of winter, but today the promise of fresh bread was enough to keep him from dwelling on dark thoughts.  
The way across the street was clear, Percy did not hear the thunder of hooves through the whistling wind and so he stepped out onto the road. He was a quarter way across before a carriage turned a corner and sped toward him. Percy backed up quickly, his heel hit a sizable rock and he fell backwards. The bag of flour flew out of his grasp and landed with a deafening ‘floof’ as all the expensive, beautiful, white flour exploded all over the dusty ground. Particles of the precious item floated in the breeze. Percy himself, was covered in a fine white dusting of it and was bleeding through a gash in his elbow.  
He didn’t feel the pain, though. He felt only horror, disappointment and a sort of melancholy sadness that only comes from having so much and then losing it all in an instant. Then, all he felt was anger. Anger towards the person driving the carriage, anger towards the person inside the carriage, anger at himself and anger at that _stupid _rock.__  
He paid no attention when he heard someone yell a muffled “Stop!” and he paid no attention when he heard the carriage come to a halt a few feet ahead of him and his destroyed bag of flour. If he hadn’t been so startled and afraid for his life before taking a dive, he might have noticed that this particular carriage bore the royal crest: An eagle in flight in front of a lightning bolt. He would have seen that the carriage was made from rich wood and inlaid with gold and he would have realized that maybe it was not a good idea to yell cuss words when approached by the man who sat inside. As it were, he did not notice these details and as soon as the stranger approached him, laying a hand on his shoulder, he turned angrily around, ready to kill the person semi- responsible for the loss of the flour.  
He stopped midway through a cuss word when he saw just who this stranger was. Standing behind him in all his concerned glory was Jason Grace. Prince of all things royal and important within the kingdom of Olympus. Percy would have been lying to himself if he were to say that this man was not beautiful. In all honesty, the sight of the prince nearly took his breath away.  
He was tall. Definitely taller than Percy by at least a head and a half. He was broad, but not bulky, draped in a royal purple cape, a fine, shockingly white shirt, deep brown pants and belted at the waist with gold. His boots were nice too, Percy noticed, soft brown leather and perfectly crafted. His hair was short and golden, it caught the light magnificently and looked like it was almost glowing. He would have looked extremely regal, from his boots to his hair follicles, if not for the perfectly adorable concerned and apologetic look on his perfect face. The sight of him made Percy want to scream. He resisted of course- it would be considered rude to scream in the prince’s face. Instead, Percy just glared up at him, drawing his lips together into a firm line, his green eyes narrow and angry.  
The prince knelt down, offering a hand to Percy and apologising. “I’m so sorry. My driver got a little out of hand and didn’t see you. Are you alright?” Percy stared at the man for a long moment. The apology sounded sincere, but that didn’t help with the fact that particles of his family’s food source were still settling on the ground. His mind was split three ways- one part was telling him to: _‘Be polite! For goodness sakes! Be polite!’ _while another part of him was thinking about how beautiful this man was and: _‘Oh my gosh! I have flour on my face and I’m literally sitting in the dirt!’ _The last part was fuming and planning all the different ways that he could kill and rob this guy. He decided that he could do with a combination of both one and three. Polite and cold.____  
“I’m fine, thank you.” He said, pushing himself onto his feet and ignoring the outstretched hand hovering in front of him. He proceeded to walk closer to the broken flour bag and inspect the damage done. There was a small bit of flour that had remained in the bottom of the open bag, this part was still relatively salvageable and would be enough to make one small loaf of bread. Percy began to brush it into a neat pile and folded the remaining fabric around it.  
“Please, let me buy you another bag. It’s my fault, really.” The princes face was still a mask of concern and sincerity. Part of Percy’s pride wanted to tell him that he did not accept charity, but the part that was fuming was thinking: _‘Of course it’s your fault! And you should be able to do a good sight better than a lousy sack of flour and an apology.” ___  
“I would be grateful for that. Thank you, sir.” He said the ‘sir’ part with a bit more vehemence than he anticipated, and felt a little bit bad when the prince managed to look slightly hurt.  
“You’re bleeding,” the prince gasped when percy lifted his arm to wipe flour off of his face. The man reached forward and grasped Percy’s arm with his hands for a moment before ripping part of the hem off of his fine, white shirt. Percy’s eyes widened a considerable amount. The prince tenderly wrapped the cut up with the ruined piece of shirt and tied the ends. “There. That should do it for now, but we should really get that cleaned.”  
“It’s nothing, really. I’ve been through worse. You’ve ruined your shirt, you know. My guess is that that thing was probably expensive and now it’s covered in blood. Do you usually go around binding people’s wounds with pieces of your shirt? You must go through a lot of shirts. Your Majesty.” Percy rambled a bit, trying not to blush. The prince smiled warmly at him, blue eyes electric and sparkling.  
“Please, call me Jason. I think skipping formalities is fine, since I almost ran you over with a carriage.” Jason smiled at him and then paused for a moment and stared at Percy’s face. Oh my gosh. He still had flour on it and Jason had noticed. But the look wasn’t one of amusement or condescension, rather of a certain type of fondness or subtle interest. The kind of look you get when there’s a lag in conversation and one person can’t help but really see the person next to them.  
“Oh. Um, I’m Percy, by the way. I mean, my real name is Perseus, but you can call me Percy. I think skipping the formalities is fine, since you almost ran me over with a carriage.” Percy’s grin turned mischievous. He had decided that he liked this guy, bad manners and all. The prince laughed a sweet laugh and bowed low, sweeping his cape backwards with one graceful hand, and allowing the other to grasp Percy’s unhurt hand and place a soft kiss on it. Percy laughed in spite of himself and blushed hard, ears turning red.  
“It’s wonderful to meet you, Percy. Although, I wish the circumstances involved with this meeting were a bit less life threatening.” Percy rubbed the back of his neck when the man gently released his hand.  
“You and me both, your majesty.” The prince raised an eyebrow at him. “Sorry, Jason.”  
Alright. So maybe Percy wasn’t really mad anymore, even if his flour sack had been murdered.  
Jason was a nice guy, he was comfortable and kind and incredibly sincere. He had never had thought that such a bright day could become any brighter.


	2. Warm Feet, Warm hearts

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This is the one where Jason is very over protective and it's cheesy.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know I haven't updated in a while, CALM homework hurts me. But, here you go! Second chapter of this little unknown fantasy world.

The new sack of flour rested on the floor of the prince’s carriage. Percy sat across from Jason, a wide smile on his face. After collecting the flour sack, Jason had managed to convince Percy to spend the rest of the day with him, claiming that he had been in town with nothing to do and that he would like some company. The seats of the prince’s carriage were plush and soft, dyed a rich purple. The paneling looked expensive too. It seemed to be made from the same type of wood that the exterior was made from. It was inlaid with gold designs, such as the royal crest and other, swirling designs. Jason was staring at Percy with a bit of amusement as the shorter boy grinned and poked things.  
“This is one fancy ride you’ve got here. I bet the only thing they let you drink in here is grape juice. It wouldn’t stain noticeably, I suppose.” Jason laughed loudly again. Percy found it a little strange that such a laugh could be considered sweet, but sweet it was.  
“No, I suppose it wouldn’t stain much. My parents don’t allow beverages in here though, they would die if their son ‘desecrated one of the royal carriages with sticky liquids and crumbs.’”  
“But they’re perfectly fine if their son ‘desecrates the royal shirts with another man’s blood?’”  
“Of course! Why wouldn’t they?” Jason joked, eyes sparkling with mirth. His face turned concerned in an instant. “How is that gash, anyways? Is it still bleeding?”  
“No. No, it’s fine. I’ll live. I promise.” Percy smiled.  
“You’d better. I’d probably have to drive around for hours before I found someone equally as wonderful as you to hit with my carriage.” Although the man was clearly joking, Percy couldn’t help but notice that the underlying tone was actually quite serious. Jason looked down at the floor for a moment and frowned. “When I almost hit you, did I knock you out of your boots, Percy?”  
“Huh? Oh.” Percy followed Jason’s frowning gaze to his feet, which were bare, dusty and evidently cold. “No, my boots didn’t fall off. Don’t worry, I never had any in the first place.”  
“What do you mean, you never had any? It’s cold outside. You can’t walk around without boots! You’ll freeze!” Percy smiled at Jason’s concern, albeit awkwardly.  
“It’s fine. I’ve walked through a couple of cold winters without boots. Food is more important than comfort.”  
“It’s not a question of comfort. It’s a question of frostbite. What if you stepped on something sharp and cut your foot?”  
“I step carefully. Besides, I could just bandage them up. We don’t have the money for boots. I’ll just have to hold out.” Jason looked more and more concerned by the second.  
“One moment please.” Jason nodded at Percy and then stuck his head out the window, yelling at the driver. Percy couldn’t quite make out what he was saying, the wind muffling the sound of his voice.  
The carriage took a turn and Jason’s head came back inside. The man grinned at Percy’s puzzled face.  
“Where are we going?” Percy asked.  
“Wouldn’t you like to know.” It was more of a statement then a question.  
______________________~`~____________  
When the carriage finally stopped moving, Jason exited quickly and then pulled Percy out after him, grinning the whole time. Percy had never been to this part of the city, he noticed. The buildings were grander, the streets were cleaner. It wasn’t a large difference, there weren’t really any noble’s walking around, but there weren’t any people dressed in rags and walking around shoeless, either. Percy immediately felt self conscious as well dressed people looked at Jason and him and began to whisper to each other. Jason smiled at him encouragingly and gestured for Percy to take his arm. He did, although a little bit awkwardly since he was being stared down by quite a few different people.  
Jason led him down the streets for a ways before opening the door of a shop and pulling him inside before Percy’s dyslexic eyes could make out what this particular shop held. It didn’t take much to figure out once he had gotten one foot inside the door. The smell of leather oil and polish was strong and there were shoes and boots on top of everything. The shop was cozy, with lamps and candles lighting up every dark corner. There were shoe brushes lying in strange places: on top of shelves, inside clay mugs, half hidden in boots and shoes and Percy’s personal favorite- stuck to the side of the wall with an old nail driven into it to keep it in place.  
“Jason, what are we doing here?”  
“I’m going to buy you a pair of boots to make up for that gash in your arm. It’s only the most logical thing to do.”  
“No. You don’t have to. You already paid me back!”  
“I paid you back for the sack of flour. I did _not _pay you back for the injuries that I caused.” Jason’s smile was so smug that it almost hurt to look at it.__  
“Do you _really _think that it’s appropriate to buy a pauper a pair of fancy boots? You’ll end up with rumors floating around and my mother will probably be worried that I’m selling my body to strangers.” Percy asked this in such a serious manner that Jason had a hard time not cracking up laughing.__  
“Percy. Do you seriously believe that I care about rumors? If I did, don’t you think that I would have hid in a hole for the rest of my life when somebody had spread the news that I was into bestiality and had been caught with a horse?” Percy snorted indelicately.  
“I heard that one. Never believed it was true though. I figured that you were into dogs, myself.”  
“Rumors aren’t always true, Percy.” Jason said seriously, although he cracked a smile at Percy’s playful accusation. “Besides, I wouldn’t mind if people thought that I was spoiling you with gifts. I kind of like it.” Percy blushed, frowned and then tried to protest.  
“But my mother-” Jason held up a hand, effectively shushing him.  
“I’ll take you home later and help to explain the situation to her. I’m sure that she’ll understand.”  
“You can’t!” Percy half yelled, eyes terrified and wide. He quickly tried to regain his composure, but he couldn’t hide the fear in his eyes. Jason had that concerned look on his face again, Percy could feel the worry radiating off of him. “I’m sorry, Jason. I didn’t mean to yell. It’s just that...Our house isn’t really ready for guests and my step father is probably sleeping and would be unhappy if we woke him and, and...and…” Percy trailed off.  
“Hey, it’s okay. I won’t do anything that you’d be uncomfortable with.” Jason brushed the back of his hand down Percy’s face gently. The worry on his face was so easy to see that Percy couldn’t help but feel bad about making him upset.  
Percy sighed audibly and opened his mouth to reply, but was interrupted by a loud laugh and the pungent smell of leather and oil. Percy turned to see a short, white haired man standing behind Jason and himself. Jason smiled widely at the man, whom Percy could only assume was the cobbler.  
“Weren't you just here, your highness? Are your new boots not as pleasing as they used to be? You aren’t insulting my work, are you?” The man adjusted his thickset glasses and Percy could see that there was a twinkle in the man’s bright blue eyes, and Percy heard Jason chuckle from behind him.  
“No, Ald, my boots are fine, thank you for your concern.” Percy could hear the laughter in the taller man’s voice. Percy shivered slightly as Jason laid his hands on his shoulders and pushed him forward slightly. “My companion on the other hand seems to be in need of your assistance. His former cobbler didn’t do a very good job, you see, and made him invisible boots that don’t keep cold out very well at all.”  
The old man scrutinized Percy then, and even though Percy was definitely taller than this man, he couldn’t help but feel small under his gaze. The white haired man looked first at his face, then down at his clothes and finally to his cold, calloused feet. Percy was having a hard time breathing, but Jason’s hands were a steady weight on his shoulders, keeping him grounded and safe. After a moment of tense silence, a grin split the old man’s face and suddenly the threat was gone. The old man was just an old man again, short and white haired, blue eyes under thick glasses. Percy could breathe again.  
“Well then. Let’s get you into a pair of boots.” The man walked away and Percy turned to stare up at Jason, a confused and slightly alarmed look on his face.  
“Does he do that often?”  
“Just with new customers. He takes his job very seriously and will not cater to just anyone.” Jason’s face held a knowing smile.  
“How did you know that I would pass the inspection? I’m not all that important,” Percy frowned. Jason smiled down at him.  
“I knew, because you are important. From what I have picked up during our conversations, you are important to your mother, and, I hope I’m not being too forward with this, you are important to me. Besides, it’s not just the level of importance that counts when he does this, it’s the fact that you have a good heart and a good soul. I suppose that he can see that just as clearly as I can.” Percy blushed hard just as the short, white haired man re-entered the room, a pile of beautiful boots in his thin,blue veined arms.  
“Sit down, boy.” He frowned at Percy and he couldn’t help but feel that the old cobbler was enjoying this. Jason led him to a chair and Percy sat down on it.  
The little man pulled up a shorter stool, and began to stare at Percy’s feet. Percy couldn’t help but want to back away a bit. The man grabbed a pair of fine, white wool socks from his pocket and slid them onto Percy’s chilly feet. They were the warmest pair of socks that he had ever been graced with wearing. Immediately, his feet were no longer cold, but comfortably warm and soothed. The white haired man nodded to himself and allowed a satisfied smile to curl onto his lined face. Next, the man grabbed a pair of his finely crafted boots stared them down and tossed them to the side. After doing this a few times with a fair assortment of boots, he grinned and pulled a pair of shiny, dark, leather, chestnut brown boots onto Percy’s stocking feet. They fit like a glove and kept in the warmth like a stove pipe. They were soft and extremely comfortable, creating an arch where he had none. They were the most beautiful pair of boots he had ever seen and he felt his chest lift up like his heart was singing.  
Then, he felt his heart plummet to his feet and his smile sag down until it reached an expression of extreme disappointment. He looked up to see Jason’s face smiling brightly and then slowly diffuse as he saw Percy’s lack of excitement. Immediately, Jason was next to him, crouching by his chair. But before Jason could open his mouth to speak, the cobbler was already talking.  
“What’s wrong with them, boy? Do they not reach the caliber that you were expecting? Do these boots not please you?” He asked the questions in an insulted tone, but Percy could see in his face a type of softness, like he understood what Percy was so disappointed about.  
“No, sir. These are the finest things that I have ever seen. But I can’t take them.” Jason frowned.  
“Why not, Percy? Is this about money? Because I told you that I owe them to you and that it isn’t like I’m not rich.”  
“No, Jason, it’s not that.” Percy sighed and rubbed his face. “If I wear these around the place that I live, I’ll be found dead in the streets after I’ve been robbed of them and anything else that I have that could be considered somewhat valuable. If that doesn’t happen then my stepfather will take them from me and sell them himself.” He hadn’t meant to say the last part, but it came out anyway. He didn’t know that Jason’s face could look any more worried, but he managed it.  
Before Percy had even finished speaking, the white haired man had pulled out another pair of boots. These ones were scuffed and looked fairly worn out. The finish was dull and they looked unassuming in appearance. Seams hung loose and overall, they looked sad. The man pulled the shiny, theft worthy boots from Percy’s feet and replaced them with the shabby looking ones.  
Surprisingly they were just as warm and comfortable as the last ones. They didn’t feel like they were going to fall apart, the seams didn’t feel loose. “How did you…?”  
“How did I make a fine pair of boots that look like shit?” The man’s eyes twinkled mischievously. “I made them the same way, only I added a few things. An extra loose looking seam here that isn’t actually important to the boots integrity, a scuff with sandpaper there, a dull looking wash. It’s not that difficult, actually.”  
Percy shook his head slowly and whistled low. “Wow. How did you know that I’d need them?”  
“I just know things.” He tapped his nose conspiratorially and winked. Percy liked this man.  
______________________________*-*-*___________________________  
After they were finished at the cobbler shop, Jason refused to take Percy home. Instead, he dragged him into a restaurant and made him eat, then he convinced Percy to take a walk by the river with him. They talked about little things and they discussed their favourite colours. The daylight started to disappear and the wind became more powerful, stars lit up the sky and Jason compared them to Percy’s eyes, which of course made Percy blush in the dark.. When they got a bit too cold, he pulled him into a pub and sat him down by the fire and offered him something to drink. He refused alcohol and instead ordered a cup of hot chocolate. Jason wrapped an arm around him and kissed him sweetly on the lips. Percy almost spilled his hot chocolate.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wow... much cheesy. I litterally just thought of everything that cheesy people do on dates.


	3. Sweet Kisses and Dark Thoughts

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry this took so long. Got a bit of writers block, then some moral issues when I started typing swearwords. Forgive me for the language used, I needed it for the character.  
> WARNING! This goes from fluff to angst in less than a millisecond.

Jason’s lips were warm and soft. They tasted like sugar and cinnamon, probably due to the cider he had been drinking previously and when Jason moved his hand to Percy’s back, it was warm too. Jason was warm, he was always warm. Percy was stunned and a bit confused and didn’t quite realize what was going on until it was too late. Jason pulled away, he looked concerned again and Percy was beginning to wonder if that was a permanent architectural feature of his face.   
“I’m sorry, Percy. I shouldn’t have done that, especially without expressive permission from you.” His hands were gone and Percy frowned.  
“Don’t apologize to me for being brave enough to do the thing that I have been thinking about throughout this entire day. Besides, you taste nice.” Percy smiled coyly and then awkwardly. “You could try it again? I’ll be ready this time, I promise.” He saw Jason relax a bit, a long, relieved sigh left his body and his lips tilted upwards into a crooked smile. Percy noticed a little silver scar at the corner of his mouth and felt the need to kiss it.   
Then Jason’s hands were back, one cupping his cheek gently, the other radiated heat against his neck. His touches were feather light, and his breath smelled sweet and cinnamony. Jason’s lips brushed his once, tentatively before Percy lost his patience and captured his mouth fully. He heard Jason make a soft laughing noise and he smiled against his lips. It was a soft kiss and it was over too soon. They leaned their foreheads together and Percy just watched Jason smile, he himself was mirroring the expression.  
“Was that one better?” Jason asked, lips tilting into that roguish look once again.  
“Definitely.” Percy smiled back before planting another peck to the broader man's lips. “I have to go soon. My mother’s probably worried sick by now and my stepfather… well, he’s not very controlled when he’s angry.” Jason’s face went concerned again and Percy tried to smile reassuringly. “Don’t worry so much, Jason. You’ll get wrinkles.”  
“Are you sure you don't want me to come in? Explain things to your parents?”  
“I’m sure. But I wouldn’t mind a ride. I have no idea where I am at the moment. I think you may have been trying to kidnap me.” That wrung a smile from Jason’s mask of concern and Percy was once again pulled forward into a warm kiss.  
“Alright. Fine. But I will get to see you again?” Jason’s voice seemed unsure and Percy felt that he had every right to be. The smaller man not knowing if it was possible himself.  
“I don’t know, Jason,” he sighed. “I want to, but I don’t know how it’s possible. I’m mud on your parents royal shoes. It’s not like I live close by and I don’t expect that you’ll be able to enter my neighbourhood without being robbed or held for ransom. You told me that the only reason you found me was because you got lost-”  
“What if you lived at the palace?” Jason blurted it out before he could think it through and immediately regretted it, pulling away before he could see any strange looks on Percy’s beautiful face.  
“Jason. I’ve only just met you. Even though I want this to last, I’m not sure it can. From what I’ve heard, your parents are stubborn. They’re not about to let you court a filthy kid from the streets, especially within their own home.” Percy’s answer was logical, it made sense, but Jason could still feel himself grasping at straws. “That doesn’t mean we can’t meet though, does it? I mean, as long as I'm far enough away from the rough edges of town, we can still see each other?” Percy looked a bit scared, afraid to hear Jason’s reply. “That is...if you want to. We don’t have to...if you want this to stop right here, then I can stop it. I’ll leave without a fuss, I won’t draw any attention. I promise to slip away quietly and try to forget that this ever happened-” Jason cut off the rambling boy with a kiss. This one was quite a bit more heated than the last.  
Jason captured Percy’s mouth, tasted him. He was both chocolate and salt, the open sea and the warmth of home. Perseus Jackson. He nipped at his bottom lip, swept his into his mouth when he felt the smaller boy gasp. This was perfect, this moment. He was not about to let this warm body go.  
“Don’t leave. Not ever. Never try to forget me, I know that I could _never _forget you.” He brushed his thumb over Percy’s temple, held his hand at the back of Percy’s head. His hair was soft and clean, strange since Jason was well aware of just how poor the other man was. Percy laughed.  
“I can practically hear you thinking. I’m clean because my mother makes sure that we always have soap. We make it ourselves most of the time. She says that she will not have her son smelling like the neighbour's pigs.” Jason smiled at the black haired boy, running his hands through his hair again.  
“Your mother sounds like a wonderful person.”  
“That’s because she is.”  
____________________..._________________  
Percy watched Jason’s carriage drive away into the inky night. Part of him was smiling as he felt the weight of the flour on his shoulder, the comfort around his feet and the tingle of his lips. But another part was melancholy. He wasn’t sure when he’d see the blonde man again, wasn’t sure that he’d see him at all. He trusted Jason, but he didn’t trust the other members of the royal family. If anyone were to find out about their excursion, then Percy was sure that it could never happen again.   
He had allowed Jason to bring him as far as the flour mill, where he had been nearly trampled to death, before stating that it would be unsafe to go any further. As much as he was worried about the royals, he was five times more worried about his neighbours. He knew them, most of them would be jealous, they would try to take anything that they could from him, desperate for the king's favour... And what would be more favourable than being the one to bring the little urchin boy to face the king on the word that the boy had kissed his son...with tongue. Not to say that _all _the people he knew were cruel, several of the people in his life brought him nothing but joy...but they could be considered outnumbered.  
__________________________...____________________________________  
The floorboards gave him away.   
Percy had made it into the house, quietly closing the door behind him, tiptoeing through the dark hallway, trying to avoid the tiny kitchen where his step-father sat, surrounded by his gambling buddies. He hoped that their combined loudness was enough to drown out and distract them from any noises, but of course, Percy’s life didn’t work that way.   
“Well, well, well. What have we got here?” Percy froze and winced when he heard the long groaning creak of the clapboard floor echo throughout the small space of the house. “Didn’t your mother send you out this morning? Where have you been all day? You lazy cocksucker.” Gabe eyed Percy carefully. “Did you go out and blow my money on some stupid shit?” Gabe’s eyes didn’t waver, his friends were chortling in the background. “Well?”  
“I went out for flour, got held up. Don’t worry. I didn’t spend _your _hard earned coin on anything we didn’t need.” Gabe squinted at him before reaching to drink a long drag of beer from a brown bottle. The sight almost made Percy gag.  
“Fine, then. Go put the stuff in the kitchen and bring me back another one of these.” Percy’s smelly step-father chucked the bottle at him. It smashed against the wall next to his head. Percy barely flinched when small shards of broken glass brushed against his cheek, leaving him tiny nicks in his skin that burned. Gabe’s cronies howled with laughter.  
Percy just moved past them into the little space curtained off from the group, shouldering the flour. The room contained a few things: a small stove and oven, it had been a gift included in one of their relatives will to his mom. A washbasin sat on a wooden stool in the corner and a long, crude wooden table that was covered by random spices and two small tins labelled _**flour**_ and _**sugar**_ sat in the middle of the tiny space. There was also a small wooden bowl with a few wilted vegetables and fruits. The beer sat on the ground by the wall. No matter how little they had to spend, Gabe could always find room enough in his pocket for beer. Percy couldn’t help but scowl.  
He dumped the bag of flour onto the table and poured some into the tin, making sure to place the bag somewhere the rats couldn’t get into it. He tried to stall for as long as he could. Taking a somewhat clean rag from beside the basin and wiping off the table. For as long as he could remember, Percy had always wished that they had enough ingredients and spices to _make _something. He remembered when times were better, before his mother had married Gabe for the sake of keeping Percy from being called a bastard. His mother had always cooked together, baked together. He loved kneading bread, setting his forearms to work, feeling the way the dough would stretch and take shape before they set the stuff to rise. His mother had used to work in a bakery herself- making bread and cakes and rolls. The owner’s had never questioned her when she brought in her little son, all bright eyes and chubby red cheeks, to help her with the baking.  
Life was good. But then she married Gabe, a man who didn’t believe that a woman should be allowed to work. He took her away from her job, took her earnings and promptly spent them on alcohol and his gambling habit. From then on, ends would never meet. Gabe seemed to always be out of a job and every time the tax collectors came, it would become more and more of a struggle to pay them. Percy hated Gabe. He hated what he had done to their lives, hated that he had taken away his childhood. Percy might have only been sixteen, but he always felt like he was decades older. He had worked odd jobs here and there, too young to get a full time work position and too high energy to be wanted by anyone as an apprentice. No one really wanted to hire him, he was too raggedy, too stubborn, too impulsive and too outspoken for anyone’s liking. At the moment, he worked in the horse traders. He was good with animals, horses especially and _they _never cared if he spoke to much.  
What he hated the most about Gabe, though, was what he had done to his mother’s life. She used to always be _so _happy. A good life, a son, a decent job that she loved. Her hair was the deepest of browns and her eyes sparkled like stars whenever Percy looked up at her. Now her hair was greying prematurely, the sparkle was almost gone. Percy would do _anything _to get that sparkle back.  
Percy heard an angry call of “Jackson” from the dining area and he scowled once more, grabbing hold of the disgusting alcoholic beverage and popping the cap off. It smelled. The black haired boy brushed the dirty curtain aside again and brought it out to his stepfather, clunking it onto the worn table in front of him. Percy walked away, hearing the mumbled word “Fucker” follow in his wake. Gabe’s friends laughed again, Percy tried not to attack them all viciously.  
Percy didn’t really have a bedroom. It was more of a closet. A small cot lay in the corner, flush with the wall. His feet would usually stick over the edge, but he didn’t really mind. Above it, nailed to the wall was a small shelf, odds and ends on top of it. There was a strange rock he had found by the ocean, smoothed down by the relentless waves. Next to it lay a tiny wooden owl, his best friend Annabeth had carved it for him, before she and her family had moved away.   
Another one of Percy’s objects was a long, curving horn, blood spattered at the tip of it. When he was younger, he had a job on a farm a ways out of town. There was a bull that had gotten loose, it was running wild and decided to attack him. He had managed to rip off the horn and plunge it into the animal’s heart, saving himself from certain death. Percy kept the horn as a reminder of what he had done, the life he had taken from the beast. He remembered coming home, having not have cried all day. His mother had wrapped him in her arms, sensing that there was something wrong. Percy had told her, then. Tears streaming down his cheeks. He told her that he was a murderer, that he had taken a life that day, one that he was not meant to take.  
“It should have been me, mom,” Percy had sniffled. “I killed it. It should have been me.” Percy’s mother had rubbed his back, held him close to her heart.  
“Now, baby boy. Do you really believe that? Do you really want to leave your mama alone?”  
Percy hadn’t wanted to leave his mother. She needed him and he needed her. Still. It was an injustice and Percy hated nothing more, than injustices.______________

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, so, swearwords are bad, people. Use them with great caution.  
> Also, so I know the words don't really fit the time, so just bear with me. Typing in old speech is complicated. I don't really know what words they used, but hey! This is a fantasy right? Just allow me some leeway _please _?__


	4. Heartache

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> There's something about Luke. Something Percy just doesn't like.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Again, this is kinda fluffy angst. I hate myself for this.

Percy had considered taking off his boots before going to bed, but then didn’t. They were the best things he had ever gotten and he didn’t want them stolen overnight. The boy lay down in his bed, feet hanging over the edge. This time they were warm. The tiny window on his wall cast moonlight on his sleeping form, the room glowed with it.   
Percy started when he felt fingers brushing gently through his hair, but then he smiled, noticing that it was only his mother, her slender, but calloused fingers running through the strands smoothly. She was humming to him, something she had done when he was young, trying to get him to calm down and get to sleep after he had been tormented by people in the neighbourhood. Sometimes it had been Gabe who had hurt him, but he refused to tell her that. “Hello, little Percy.” Sally smiled down at him, fingers still petting him gently. “I missed you today. I was worried that you’d gotten lost.” Sally looked a little bit worried, her brows creasing a bit.   
“No, mom. I didn’t get lost.” Percy blushed, remembering the way jason had looked at him, kind blue eyes staring at his own. “Well, maybe I did, just a little bit, but it was the good kind of lost.”  
“What kind of lost is that?” His mother smiled crookedly.  
“Lost in someone’s eyes.” Percy couldn’t help the laugh that escaped him, but quickly covered his mouth, afraid that Gabe would wake up. His eyes still glimmered with mirth, though. He sat up in his bed, so that he could see his mother’s face better in the dark.  
“Oh?” Sally seemed surprised, but her smile had gotten wider. “And who was this lucky man?” She paused. “Have you and Luke gotten back together?” Her face went worried again, she knew how much the man had hurt her son, emotionally that is.   
“God no, mother. That’s over. For good.” Percy specified at his mother's unconvinced look.  
“Alright, alright. Then who is it?” Sally tossed her hands into the air playfully, eyes momentarily regaining their sparkle.  
Percy scrunched his nose, thinking, then decided that if he couldn’t tell his mother about what had happened, then he couldn’t tell anyone. “His name is Jason.” His mother raised an eyebrow.  
“Like the crown prince?”   
Percy grinned.“ _Exactly _like the prince.” He shrunk a bit. “It _was _the prince, actually.  
“What?” His mother looked confused, then shocked, then worried. “What do you mean? Where did you see him? He must have been close if you could see his eyes.”  
Percy held his hands flush together in front of himself. “This close,” he said.  
Sally’s eyes were like saucers. As embarrassing as it was, Percy had to stifle another loud cackle.   
He proceeded to tell his mother about the day’s events, the flour incident, the scraped elbow, the cobbler shop, the evening he had had and the kiss. Then he told her about Jason’s offer.  
At first she looked delighted, high on all the gleefulness of her son’s sudden love interest. But then her face went serious. “No, Percy. We can’t.” Percy’s smile faded a little, this time it looked more resigned. He let out a sigh.  
“I know, mom. I know we can’t.” His mother brushed her fingers through his hair again. “I’ve gone over it hundreds of times in my head. I know what would happen. We would be beheaded or something just as bad.” He sighed again. “I’m pretty sure that the prince was just inebriated with cider spices and saliva.”  
His mother giggled despite herself. “Saliva?”  
“Yeah. He used tongue.” Percy grinned again. Sally wrinkled her nose.  
“Ew. Okay, that’s enough. I don’t need to know that many details.” She smiled at her son and pinched his cheek. “Besides. As far as I’m concerned, you’re still my baby boy. _Nobody _should be kissing you except for me.” She then tackled him and peppered kisses all over his cheeks, Percy giggling and twisting around when she blew a raspberry on his face.  
“S-Stop! Mom! You’re gonna k-kill m-me!” Percy whisper-yelled, trying very hard to be quiet under this onslaught of love.  
______________________---________________________  
The sun did nothing to alleviate the chill in the air, but Percy’s boots helped. He strapped his sword to his waist, striding down the hill towards the flat, grassy area where he and Luke practiced fighting each other. The blonde man leaned against a tree, a small figure from so far away from him. Even after their disaster of a relationship, Percy had still insisted on his lessons. He wasn’t going to give up his favourite sport simply because of heartbreak. His teacher was still as lovely as always, the scar ripping through his face did nothing to hurt the way he looked. Rugged and handsome all wrapped up into one tall, muscular package of mouthwateringness. Percy tried to ignore any attraction he still felt towards the man.  
“You’re late.” Luke frowned, pushing himself away from the tree and coming to meet him in the middle of the clearing.  
“Sorry. I was busy.” It was the truth, Percy had been sitting by the flour mill for an hour before giving up and coming to their practice. Jason hadn’t shown up.  
“Get out your stuff. I’ve got something new to show you today.” Luke proceeded to wreck Percy’s body with the amount of physical activity that followed. The black haired boy was a fast learner and soon he was doing just as well as his teacher. The older man looked displeased, just like he always did when Percy figured something out. It was like he couldn’t stand watching someone else do well at the things he excelled at himself. Luke called a break after about an hour and a half, offering Percy his waterskin rigidly.   
“Thanks.” Percy gasped, slightly out of breath. He chugged back some water, drips falling from his face. He felt immediately refreshed. Out of the corner of his eye, he could see Luke following the overflow of water with his icy eyes as the droplets found their way, curving down his chin. Percy took the skin away from his lips slowly, cautiously watching the older man. Percy remembered that look vividly and it made him feel awkward and exposed.   
Luke moved towards him, taking the waterskin from his hands and taking a swig. The look was gone, but Percy was still wary.  
Luke had been his teacher for a good amount of time, Percy had known the man for a long while and had asked him if he could teach him swordfighting. He had his own blade, it was a gift from his father, his mother presenting it to him when she thought he was old enough. He was eight at the time. When they had started out, Luke had called him a natural, glad to have found someone who could present a good round of swordplay. When Percy hit twelve, Luke had gotten a bit more interested in things _other _than swordplay. Luke had been his first kiss, Luke had been his first love.  
It wasn’t like he could help it. The man was a demanding person, a very forward person and to tell the truth, he was the most beautiful person he had ever known. It was hard to resist the man when they knew each other so well, when Percy had spent most of his life pinned to the ground underneath the blonde man.   
Then Percy began to wonder if he really _did _know Luke. He was secretive, moody, he got angry over every little thing and after a while, all he did was complain about Percy. Percy was to slow, he didn’t understand him, he didn’t follow orders well enough, he should always be there for him, always willing to do what Luke wanted.  
For some time, Percy believed him. Luke would want a lot of crap for him and Percy just wanted to be _good _for Luke. Whatever the man wanted, Percy tried to deliver, even when it made him uncomfortable or made him feel dirty. He was used to being called names, he had that at home, he had that at work. Part of him wished that for at least one part of his week could lack any insults, but he knew somewhere deep inside, that that wish was a silly one. Then, one day, he realized that _he _wasn’t the problem. The problem was his soon to be ex-boyfriend.  
Luke started to talk of radical things. He told Percy his thoughts, told him about his hatred towards the royal family and how he believed that they needed to die.  
“They bring us nothing but heartache and despair. They don’t care about us, Percy.  
Do you see them leave their safe places? Their palace and the wealthy part of town? They ignore our problems, they don’t open their eyes and _look _. They don’t come down here to see us, how we’re living in squalor, they _don’t _ _care _that we’re nearly dying.  
I’m going to change that, though.” Luke had smiled an almost crazy smile, “I’m going to fix our lives, Percy. I’m going to bring an end to their reign.” His head lolled towards Percy, eyes alight by a laughing fire. “Wanna help?”  
Percy had laughed it off, nervously trying to turn it into a joke. Luke’s face had immediately darkened.  
The younger male had had a hard time walking after that, fear in his heart and blood down his legs.  
________________________...__________________  
After their swordplay was finished, Luke lay down in the grass, patting the ground beside him. “No way. It’s already cold out. I don’t need my butt to freeze to the ground.”  
“Come on, little wimp. It’s not that bad. Your body heat will warm up the spot after a bit.” Luke reasoned.Percy sighed and sat hesitantly next to him, tucking his knees to his chin.   
“You were distracted today. What’s on your mind, Perce?” Luke propped his head on his hand, twisting to face him. His eyes were a mask of light, teasing humour.  
“Nothing, just tired I guess.” Percy kept his face neutral, he rubbed his eyes a bit.  
“Lies,” Like said, flopping back onto the grass. “There’s something on your mind and i’m going to figure it out.” That was doubtful, as Percy was going to do everything in his power to _keep _anyone from figuring it out.  
Percy snorted. “Please. You couldn’t find your way out of a burlap sack.” He joked, leading them away from the subject, a hint of his old smile growing on his face.  
“I’m hurt, Jackson. Really, really hurt.” Luke deadpanned, splaying out his arms.  
“Yeah, I bet.” Percy relaxed slowly, bit by bit, he sunk down into the grass. They talked for a while and it was almost like it was before, before Luke had kissed him so long ago.   
Once the stars were out, Percy thought Luke may have fallen asleep. The smaller boy was beginning to drift off too, despite the increasing cold, when he felt Luke’s hand trail down his side.Percy gritted his teeth.  
“Don’t.” He growled and tensed his muscles. Luke sighed lowly and pulled his hands away.  
“Sorry. It’s just _so _hard to keep my hands off of you.” Luke turned to face Percy, blue eyes dark and clouded. “I want to _touch _you.”  
“Well, you better figure out a way to handle that urge,” Percy said, unrelenting. “Because I _don’t _want you to touch me.”  
Luke rolled on top of him, Percy yelled and tried to push him off. Luke pinned down his arms.  
“From what I remember, you couldn’t get enough of my touches.” Luke was growling, pressing his hard body against Percy’s. “I remember you _begging _for me to touch you.” Percy strained against his hold. He was strong, but Luke was stronger.  
“Stop. Luke, _get __off _.” Luke sighed defeated and rolled off.  
“Fine. Whatever you _think _you want, Perce.” The younger boy got off the ground and swept up his blade. He turned to walk away before facing the blonde man once again, glaring down at him as he lounged lazily, a smirk on his face.  
“I _know _what I want, Luke. And it’s not you.” He turned away again and heard Luke snicker. He felt his shoulders tense before shaking his head and walking away. A fight with Luke was one he could _not _win.____________________  
________________________________..._____________________________  
On his way back home, he stopped by the flour mill again.  
Nothing.  
Percy had to choke back a sob.____________________

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay sooo... I dunno  
> That was upsetting to me.   
> What did you think?


	5. Eyes and Ideas

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Men in hoods and pondering the usefulness of chickens.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello!   
> So, I know it took a while, but I've been busy.  
> Thank you guys for being patient!  
> This is the sappiest thing that I have ever written.  
> Forgive me for this.

It was a week before Percy saw Jason again.  
He went to work, feeding and brushing the horses there, sneaking them apples from a bag near the front.  
“Sh. It’s our little secret.” He whispered, patting their sides gently.  
He did chores, his hands red from scrubbing the clapboards of the floor. He tried to hold his tongue when Gabe messed with him, spilling his yeasty beer on the floor on purpose, just so he could laugh when Percy had to wipe it up. Sometimes he couldn’t help himself and talked back before he could think. This earned him a good beating, bruises blooming black under his clothes. He didn’t let his mother see. She had too much to worry about already.  
Percy skipped his fighting sessions, figuring Luke needed some time to cool down before they tried it again. He himself wasn’t quite ready to look at the man and he avoided him like the plague. It would be awkward next time, It always was when Luke lost control, but so far, they had been able to keep it from resurfacing to the point of complete disaster. The last time was close. If Luke hadn’t come to his senses, then Percy was pretty sure that he’d have had trouble fighting him off.  
Every day, whenever he could find time, Percy would rush out to the flour mill. The workers there were starting to give him strange and sometimes suspicious looks. Percy couldn’t find it in himself to care though and continued his wait for Jason. After a few fruitless days, the young man was beginning to feel just a little put out. Nothing was ever awaiting him there. No soft blue eyes, no warm hands. It was frustrating not being able to communicate with one another. Sometimes, Percy couldn’t help but think that he’d been forgotten. He was getting fed up with all the knowing looks he was receiving from his mother. Sad smiles and frowns.   
__________________________...______________________________  
There was snow on the ground when Percy left his little house. Gabe had been yelling, Percy had been snarking, the boy now had a long shallow cut on his face from a broken bottle and burning anger churning inside of him. It was probably a bad idea to go looking for Jason when he felt that angry, disappointment would only make it worse. He barely glanced around when he got to the mill, noting only a few people, none of which looked like the busy prince. He turned to leave again, feeling the weight of sadness eek into his being, when he felt a hand on his shoulder. The boy almost threw a punch to the stranger’s face, his bad mood putting him on the offensive. He was already cold, he didn’t need anyone trying to steal his boots.  
 _“Percy,” _an exasperated voice came out from the man. Percy stopped his frustrated movements. He knew that voice.  
 _“Jason?” _Percy’s voice came out surprised. The prince was wearing a cape. A long, dirty, grey cape with a deep hood that shaded most of his face. He was wearing plain clothing, not shoddy, but still, not something you’d expect a prince to wear. Percy hadn’t recognized him. He frowned. “What are you wearing?”  
Jason chuckled nervously. “Um...clothing?” Percy gave him a look. “What? I didn’t want people to notice me. You said you thought this thing was dangerous so… I took the liberty of wearing something less conspicuous.”  
“Well, you scared the heck out of me. Thank you for that.” Percy blushed a bit and hoped that the cold would help cover it up. Jason’s face went soft, his eyes once again worried. He reached a hand up to Percy’s cheek, brushing his knuckles gently across it. Percy felt it sting a little and remembered his cut. He quickly moved his face away, staring at the ground.  
“Every time I see you, you’re hurt.” Jason smiled softly. “Is this going to be a regular occurrence?” Jason’s voice was filled with concern and a soft bit of teasing. Percy cleared his throat a little.  
“I ran into a tree. Those things are a little bit rude, you know. Besides. The last time I was hurt, it was because you were in the middle of running me over.” The smaller boy knew that Jason could see through the awkward lie, but it was better than the real thing. Percy looked at Jason sideways. “I missed you.” Jason looked a little abashed.  
“I’m sorry. My parents...they were trying to... keep me busy I suppose.” Jason grimaced. “They were making me pick things out for their next party. Coulours for the linens, hor dourves, invitations. It was the most pathetic thing I’ve ever done. Of course, my choices were never right. Apparently sea green is not the proper colour for place settings. Jason gave Percy a sly smile and Percy blushed darker.  
“Busy life.” He commented, grinning goofily.  
Jason gave him a wry smile. “The busiest.” The blonde’s face suddenly brightened so it resembled the sun. “I have found the solution to our communication problem.”  
Percy perked up at that. “What?” Maybe the exclamation was a little bit too excited, because Jason gave him an amused gaze. “Well, excuse me if I find it just a little bit tiresome walking back and forth every day, just on the off chance that you’ll be waiting.” Percy huffed a bit, pouting.  
Jason looked at him. “ _every _day?” The smaller boy was blushing _way _to much.  
“I’m impatient.”  
“I noticed.”  
“Are you going to tell me your secret?”  
“Later.” Percy frowned. “I’m kidding.”  
“Good.” Jason smiled from under his hood.  
“Alright. We can create a signal.” Percy raised an eyebrow. “It’ll let you know whenever I’m in the area. All I have to do is… I don’t know, blow a trumpet?” Jason’s voice went unsure and Percy couldn’t help but crack a smile.  
“You didn’t really think this through, did you?”  
Jason wrinkled his eyebrows, his shadowy face bent into an expression of deep thought. “No. No I did not.” They laughed at the same time, Jason’s face relaxing. The mill workers were looking at them strangely, pausing in their work once in awhile to watch their exchange.  
Percy pursed his lips. “Come on, let's get out of here. We have an audience.”   
Jason nodded and gently took the smaller man’s arm , leading them away from the mill. Percy looked around a little bit, realizing that Jason’s fancy carriage was nowhere to be seen. “Where’s your weapon of destruction, Jason? Or did you walk here?” The last was said with coy disbelief. It was much too far of a walk, it was still quite the trip in the carriage.  
Jason looked confused. “Weapon of destruction…” Then, a light seemed to go off in his head. “Oh,” Jason blushed, “you mean my carriage.” Percy smiled at him. “I told the driver to drop me off a little ways away from here. He’s probably in town, getting a drink.”  
“Do you really think that’s a good idea, letting your driver drink before driving?” Percy smiled wryly. “Or is that the reason he wasn’t very good the last time?”  
The prince sighed, clearly exasperated. “You are never going to let that go, are you?’  
“Never.”  
________________________________..._____________________________  
Jason and Percy were discussing different ways in which they might be able to contact each other. Jason had suggested notes, which were vetoed by Percy as they were impractical, anyone could read them, should they have the curiosity. Paper and ink also cost a fair bit of coin, funds that Percy did not posses.   
The next ideas were also cast out as they were either impractical, dangerous or much too obvious. Ideas from lighting large bonfires, to shooting fireworks, clanging large bells and Percy’s favourite, carving messages into potatoes.  
They were all silly and by the time they ran out of ideas, the boys were doubled over, laughing in the wet snow. They lay next each other, Jason’s cape askew, bodies cold from the chill of the ground and air. Somehow, the prince’s hands stayed warm, something Percy had come to notice. No matter what, Jason’s hands were always warm. Not to the point of sweat, they didn’t burn, they weren’t red, it was like there was always some sort of fire running through his body, electricity flowing through his veins. Percy loved those hands.   
Jason turned his face towards him, his mouth a wide, laughing smile, his eyes glowed with softness, they were damp with tears drawn up from their raucous laughter and tenderness lurked below the surface. “Percy?” The prince’s voice rang like a sweet bell. Percy couldn’t help but smile contentedly.  
“Mmm?”  
“Can I kiss you again?”  
“Mmhm,” Percy nodded.  
So Jason did. Closing the distance between them , pressing his hand to the smaller boy’s shoulder and allowing his curving smile to press into Percy’s. The kiss was sweet and chaste at first, the two boys trying to get back to the place where they had left off. Jason’s hands were warm on Percy’s cold back and he could feel the heat of it rush to his face. They kissed harder then, lips pressing on lips, Jason used his teeth again, something he seemed to like to do, tugging on his lips, his tongue. They stayed that way for a long while, wrapped up with each other. Jason tasted like spices and caramel, Percy like the salty sea and strangely enough, it was a good taste. They broke apart only when Percy giggled “Potato,” into Jason’s ear.  
They burst out laughing, sides hurting, eyes flowing with tears.  
_____________________________...________________________  
Percy was tucked into Jason’s side, the two young boys were propped up against a tree, nestled in the fallen leaves that had been sheltered from the snow when it had fallen which lent some warmth that the open ground did not. Jason ran his soft hands through Percy’s dark locks, humming to himself. The smaller boy had his eyes closed, his facial expression content and happy.  
“I really did miss you, Jason.” Percy turned to look up at him, his green eyes wide and loving. “For some strange reason, I seem to be lighter when you’re around.” Percy looked at his broad build and smiled. “Could be because you’re bigger than me,” he joked.  
Jason looked down at the boy’s face, earnest and joshing. The prince frowned at him softly. “I missed you too. The last few days were the longest that I have ever lived. I know it sounds ridiculous, especially to you, but I don’t know how I’ve lived this long without you in my life.”  
Percy raised an eyebrow at him. “You’ve only known me for a few days, talked to me for less time than that. I… I don’t know how a person like me could give such an impression.”  
Jason kissed the boy’s temple, brushing back his hair lovingly. “You are as lovely as a summer storm. Fierce and sudden.” The man smiled. “Remember when you fell over that first day? I swear, the look you gave me...I thought you were going to knock on my ass.” Percy’s eyes got large and then he laughed.  
“You like me, because I could knock you on your ass?” His tone was disbelief.  
Jason contemplated this for a few moments, looking up and then down at the dark haired boy. “Surprisingly, yes. I mean, there are other reasons, your softness, the way the colour of your eyes glow and turn like waves. Your graceful demeanour, your ability to have kindness in your heart, though I know there is something hiding in you. Something that you’re not ready to share completely.” There was a moment of tense silence, Jason looked at Percy, full in the face, Percy stared back, feeling very much like a cornered animal. Then the feeling snapped like a fraying string, Jason brushing his knuckles across Percy’s face again, gently and tenderly, leaning in to kiss him sweetly once more.  
“There is much appeal in you being able to kick my butt, though.” Jason whispered against Percy’s mouth before backing off a little. “I’ve never met anyone brave enough to give me the look you gave me that afternoon. The look that told me that you’d willingly throw me to the ground.” Jason smiled at him, eyes sparkling in a much different way than Luke’s ever could.  
When Luke’s eyes sparkled, they were almost as cruel and vicious as they were playful. Jason’s eyes… well they may have been blue, but they were a different kind of blue. The kind of blue that made Percy think of the sky, warmth and spring storms full of electricity. Luke’s, more of ice and snow and the wrath of a cold night. Whenever Percy met a new person, he always noticed their eyes first. Not just the colour, but what was hiding underneath. Luke had hidden his cruelty rather well and at first, Percy hadn’t been able to see it. How detrimental that turned out to be...  
Percy gave Jason a smile. It was a tentative one, almost shy, but still, not quite. Percy wasn’t really known for being shy.  
___________________________...___________________________  
The two had spent a long while in the trees. Just talking, kissing and enjoying each others warmth and company. Percy talked on and on about how he and his mother used to bake, their trips to the sea and his old friend, Annabeth Chase, whom he hadn’t seen in years. He avoided the subject of his stepfather as well as the topic of Luke. Percy didn’t think that Jason would appreciate the knowledge that he was still around his old lover and that the older man continued to harass him. So instead, Percy talked about happy things. He talked about his job at the stables, about his mother’s iron stove and about the strange chicken that kept climbing onto their roof and cackling.  
Jason was a very good audience. He smiled, he laughed and he frowned when Percy talked about his best friend moving away. When Percy started to muse about his love for baking, Jason’s eyes widened and his eyes glittered, a smile crawling slowly up his face. “What?” Percy asked, seeing Jason’s ‘idea’ face.   
“Chickens!” Jason exclaimed, grabbing Percy’s hands excitedly. His face was an enormous grin by now, his eyes happy and smiling too.   
Percy’s eyebrows creased. “ _Chickens? _”  
“Yes! Well, no, but birds.” Percy still looked confused, so Jason elaborated. “You mentioned a chicken on your roof, so I thought about birds and the fact that my family owns a falconry. They can pick up scents and learn directions, so I can train one to find you and bring you messages! We can send him back and forth! Just tie a string or ribbon or something when you can meet me, send him back without one if you can’t come! It’s _brilliant! _”  
Percy smiled back at him. “Yes, Jason. You are the smartest person that I have ever had the pleasure of knowing.” Jason was still staring at him. Percy sighed. “Jason, that’s a great idea.” He paused. “But how will it know where I am?”  
Jason paused for a long moment, staring thoughtfully at Percy, eyebrows wrinkled in concern. “We could bring it to your home? Just a few times, so it can figure out where to go.”  
Percy shifted. “You want to carry a large bird of prey to me house? Isn’t that a bit conspicuous?”  
Jason frowned. “How about the stables? They’re farther away, you said that you’re there most of the time. It wouldn’t be that strange to have a bird flying around.” Percy gave it a long moment of thought before nodding.  
“That’ll work.”____________

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Alright then.   
> Thoughts? Did this make your teeth rot out of your faces?  
> If it did, I am not paying for your dental bills. I warned you before hand.  
> Silly people.


	6. Punishment

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This is a little glimpse into Jason's world. His teacher and his kitchen.  
> I wish I could do better.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sorry this took so long. I'm not super focused, but I am super busy. It's not my best work, but I feel I know more about Percy than I do about Jason, so here is my attempt at a Jason chapter.

Jason was enamored, to say the least, captivated, smitten ect. Percy Jackson was lovely, he felt like a fresh waft of spring air, cleaning the prince’s lungs of all the heady smoke and perfume of his parents courts. The boy had sprung into Jason’s life from seemingly nowhere, all furious eyes and firmness. Jason loved how he could easily shape and soften the boys edges when he was in his embrace, the sweet smiles that Jason knew were reserved for him, for his eyes only. It was a certain kind of rush, one the prince was addicted to, even after only two uses.

But now, he was tired and more than a little bored as he sat in the library and thumbed through dusty  history books. The library was very comfortable, lights glowing softly, chairs deep and cushiony. There were shelves upon shelves of books and oddments. Globes and strange metal baubles that sat upon cabinets and tables.

Jason wasn’t that old, only barely eighteen and he was still under tutelage. He had one  teacher, Athena. She was full of wisdom and experience, sometimes strict and sometimes oddly exciting and kind. Of course, this being history class, Jason could not quite seem to keep his gritty eyes open. Percy and him had stayed together for a long while after the sun had set, the moon a bright disc in the sky, illuminating the ground and setting the snow to sparkle. They had talked for a long while, Jason listening to Percy talk about his childhood and his work. The prince <em>had<em> noticed that the smaller man had completely avoided the subject of his stepfather, giving no explanation as to _why_ his mother had had to cut her life as a baker short. Jason did have his suspicions though.

When Jason saw him, he was cut. A long, jagged line of half-healed hurt that couldn’t have possibly been made by a wayward tree branch. When Jason touched him, sometimes there was pain in his eyes. The man suspected that there was something hurt beneath his clothing as well. It angered him, but he did not push the matter further. Percy barely knew him, he wasn’t about to drive the boy away simply to satisfy his urge to protect and shelter. But Percy was a person worth protecting, even if it meant a broken bond.

After a few long hours, the air became chillier and Percy began to shiver. Jason had immediately gone into his worry mode and forced Percy to take his cloak, even though he was met with a flurry of declination's and a large amount of pouting and grumbling. Jason had called him adorable, Percy had punched him in the gut.

Completely smitten indeed.

_____________________________...____________________________

Jason’s head nodded towards the books on the table. He was _tired_ , having arrived back at the palace during the late hours of night, Percy leaving when he realized that he had forgotten to scour the floors that afternoon.

A loud, crackling snap right beside his ear jarred him into alertness he looked to the side and scowled at his tutor who was holding and obnoxiously loud wooden ruler. There was a stern unyielding expression on the woman’s face and Jason couldn’t help but feel a bit chastised and abashed. He blinked a bit, trying to focus himself, and continued staring at his page for a moment longer. None of the words seemed to be sinking in. He glanced back at his tutor, who had a very suspicious look on her soft face. “Your highness. What is wrong with you? You have been staring at that same page for over ten minutes. Your focus is off. Why is that?” His history tutor pursed her lips, tapping her fingertips on the rich wood of the table. Although she put out an aura of extreme firmness most of the time, Jason knew that she had a soft side for him. She had been his tutor for as long as he could remember. The one who had kissed his hurts better and made sure he ate his porridge. His mother, Hera simply didn’t have time to care for Jason.

“I’m sorry, ma’am. But I just don’t seem to be holding any of this information. Do you think that we can continue this later?” Jason almost pleaded, eyebrows taking an upside down V-shape. Jason was well aware that his tutor was not completely immune to his pleading eyes, although he was sure that his paled in comparison to Percy’s. His heart pounded for a brief moment before he managed to calm himself. His tutor sighed and began to play with a loose piece of blonde hair that had fallen out of her up-do. It was a sign that the prince had won. Jason grinned in his head.

_____________________________...____________________________

Having been able to leave history class early, Jason strode through the castle halls, a destination in mind. Before heading to bed for a brief or not-so-brief nap, the prince had some business to take care of.

He turned down a hallway, heading towards the servant wing and entered the hot kitchen. People were walking briskly between stations, stirring things and tending to pots of boiling water. Everywhere was filled with a flurry of motion. The royal kitchens were state of the art. They contained several wood burning stoves and ovens large enough to bake three cakes at once. Shiny metal pots and kitchen utensils hung dormant on racks and in cupboards. There was also a large sink with a water pump, a tricky thing to manage, since the palace was placed on a hill. The water ran clean and pure, the counters were made from granite that shone with a glossy sheen. Jason felt a tad bit overwhelmed.

Percy would _love_  it.

He walked over to the head baker, a portly man with dark, red rimmed eyes and curly black hair. He was a strange sort of man, Jason knew that the only reason he was working in the hot kitchen was because he had annoyed Zeus and this was his punishment. His father liked to laugh about it during dinner whenever there was anything baked. Jason himself thought it was cruel. Mostly because their new head baker was miserable and hadn't the _slightest_ idea of how to bake _anything_ but rum cake.

Asking for a word, the man quickly waved over another baker to finish what he was working on at the time, before leading Jason out into the hall where it was quieter. The man didn’t bother to bow to Jason, instead focusing his watery eyes on him with a bored expression. Jason got down to business.

“I was wondering if you would have any room in your staff numbers to take on two new workers. It doesn’t have to be now, probably in a few months, give or take a while.” Jason asked his question, looking into the man’s face for any reaction. The man continued staring at him, his red face uninterested.

“Who are you trying to dump on me, boy? Do you think it’s funny that your father put me in this position? Do you think want to take care of more brats? It’s bad enough having to work in this kitchen with all of these children.” Jason tried to act smooth with his reply, as it was a bit of an awkward question.

“I made a couple of friends. They’re out of work and they are excellent bakers, but it’ll take a while to convince them to accept this job.” The man scowled at him.

“Well, if they come around, I’ll try them out. See if they really can bake or if it’s just you trying to bring puppies off the streets.” Jason shifted a bit, awkwardly trying not to look surprised. “Oh please. We all know that you’re not above taking in strays, your _highness_.” The man smirked (the first sign of any expression Jason had seen) and strode back into the kitchen, barking orders at his employed bakers.

Jason gulped.

Things hadn’t happened yet and they were already falling apart.

_______________________...____________________________

After checking everything of of his to do list, Jason was ready for a nap. He rubbed his gritty eyes, groaning as he stretched his back.

His bedroom was a sight to behold, an enormous bed propped up on a rich wooden frame. There were bed curtains,  royal purple and heavy enough to block out any light. Jason didn’t like them. He would rather wake up to the sight of morning light filtering through his enormous windows and balcony door instead of complete darkness. The floor was white marble, a wide expanse of bare space with a writing desk, wardrobe and full length mirror. There were tables covered in cloths and fresh flowers, a painting of Jason’s family on the wall.

One person was missing.

Rich tapestry’s hung long and colourful against the white background, a grand  fireplace stood against the wall, white and clean. A crystal chandelier hung from the vaulted ceiling. It sparkled and flashed dancing lights onto the white painted wall.  

Everything  was ridiculously  overlarge and extravagant. Jason pulled off his boots and undid the buttons on his shirt, sliding it over his head. He lay back onto the bed, sinking into its luxurious softness. The fine cotton sheets felt lovely against Jason’s bare back and soon he was sleeping, daylight or not.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, I didn't know where to end it, so I ended it here. Sorry. I know that it's terribly sappy and disjointed.


	7. Stawberries

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Luke is creepy,  
> The bird is a cameo  
> and Jason is a thief.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And here we are again. I am updating because I was briefly inspired. This one is very time skippy and a bit choppy, but I hope you still enjoy it.

Percy ducked as Luke swept his blade through the air, the graceful arc was more vicious than usual- this was not a good sign.

Percy fought back with all the speed and agility he could muster, he was really quite good after all. Still, Luke was more experienced and once again caught him off guard. After almost half an hour, Luke had the tip of his blade against Percy’s chest. Percy let out a huffing laugh and smiled good naturedly. “I just can’t seem to beat you today, Luke.” The blonde man stared at him, his blade didn’t leave it’s place, Luke did not smile.

Percy felt increasingly uneasy.

After what seemed like forever, Luke finally set his blade down. The tip brushed against the snow, cutting through the the crisp, icy layer on top, an arching pattern that moved softly and silently.

Percy shivered.

“I heard that you have a lover now.” The taller man’s voice was easy enough, natural, but Percy could see through it. There was a coldness in his eyes. Percy hid his astonishment as best as he could, it may or may not have been successful. He sheathed Riptide and stepped away from Luke, moving towards their water skins.

“Not a lover, only a friend. Where did you hear this?”

“Oh, from a mill worker. She said that you seemed very comfortable with your...friend.” Luke’s movement was strange, smooth as usual, but it had an edge to it. Percy felt as if he was being interrogated, it wasn’t a good feeling.

“Yes, we are fairly comfortable with each other. We go back a ways.”

“Really?” Luke said slowly. His eyes never left Percy’s face. “I’ve known _you_ for quite a long time. I’ve never met, nor heard, of this friend of yours.”

“Maybe you don’t know me as well as you’d like to believe,” Percy replied flippantly before changing the subject.

“I’m to get a raise at the stables. The owner says that his customers are very happy with the amount of grooming and care the horses are receiving. Maybe we can afford some wool to make mittens this year. I know my mother could use a pair. She’s always cold.” Luke stared at Percy for a long moment, his lips were a hard line. Finally, he relented. Sighing, he walked over to Percy, brushing snow off of a large rock and sitting down.

“That’s good to hear. Wouldn’t want Sally to be cold now, would we?”

____________________________

“So, this is Ella. She’ll be the one carrying our messages.” Jason held the bird at his side, a beautiful thing, covered in  well pruned, reddish feathers. She cocked her head to the side, eyes bright and curious.

“She’s beautiful.” Percy breathed. “Can I touch her?”

“Of course. How else is she supposed to get to know you?” Jason rolled his eyes playfully. “But be very gentle, she can be sort of skittish.” Percy slowly reached out his hand, palm up and stroked the red bird softly. She made a strange sort of trilling noise and tilted her head to the side. Her eyes flickered over him and she bent herself into his hand.

“She’s soft. “

“I think she likes you.” Jason winked at him, “but then again, who doesn’t.”  

Now it was Percy’s turn to roll his eyes.

_____________________________

Percy pushed a brush along the side of the horse, Jason sat on the wooden railing behind him, kicking his feet back and forth and whistling.

They had been training Ella for a while, meeting as often as possible and trying very hard to get her to understand what they wanted her to do. They were making progress, she was very good at finding Percy, but she was also easily distracted.

Jason would take Ella with him, going a fair distance before releasing her to locate Percy. Usually, she would do it with ease, but once in awhile she would veer off course and come back with a shiny object in her claws. Sometimes it would be a book. This was fairly strange.

The snow had built up over the weeks and it was getting colder. Thankfully, Gabe hadn’t noticed anything out of the ordinary, although the briskness of the air seemed to be making him more perturbed every night.

Jason tried to pretend not to notice the bruises, but it was difficult. Every time he and Percy found each other, the prince couldn’t help but subconsciously trail gentle fingers across the paupers mottled skin.

“Be careful or you’ll fall off, Jason. Or you’ll kick me, which will lead to serious injury.”

“I’m not going to hurt you.”

“I wasn’t talking about me.” Percy smiled dangerously.

Jason stopped swinging his feet.

“Alright then,” the blonde hopped down, feet creating a puff of dirt when he landed. “How would you like to eat lunch now?”

“My hands are coated in horse hair, dirt and pulverized horse feces. Do you think that I want to be handling food right now?” Percy looked at him and then reached towards him playfully, grinning from ear to ear. “Want a hug?”

“Percy, you know that I love it when you hug me, but poop just isn’t romantic.” Percy laughed at him and patted the horse’s side.

“Well, if we can find water that _isn’t_ frozen so I can wash up, then sure. Lunch sounds good.”

“No worries, I brought a couple canteens of water and a bowl. I like washing before eating too. I guess it’s just the way I was raised- at the _height_ of society.” Jason said, tilting his nose up. Percy snorted indelicately and attempted to tackle the taller man, dirty hands aimed towards his pale face.

Jason caught his wrists, holding them away so that the dirty palms faced outwards. He kept the dark haired boy still and close, just a shallow breath away. Percy’s broad, playful smile became less so, eyelids fluttering closed, lips curling up at one corner. Jason could see the lovely green of his eyes darken slightly. Jason’s own eyes were no different, sky blue changing swiftly to night.

This time, it was Percy who kissed first, lips gliding smoothly against Jason’s. Percy pushed himself up onto his toes in order to reach properly as well as deepen their kiss. The shift of his body made his threadbare cape fall off one shoulder, but he didn’t even feel the cold.

Jason still had a hold of his wrists, the power of the position should have scared Percy- someone who had felt helplessness so often before- but he wasn’t scared, because for once, he trusted these hands and he trusted their grip.

________________________________

“Alright. Who made these sandwiches? Because I think I may have just discovered what true love is.” Percy said, mouth full of food. Little crumbs flew out of his mouth, swirling like slightly disgusting snowflakes.

Jason laughed. “You may want to swallow before you talk. I don’t think watching you choke and die was part of my plans for today.” The blonde felt he should be a tad disgusted, but somehow he couldn’t bring himself to feel that way.

They were having a winter picnic, a wall of wool blankets were spread on the soft snow, they boys themselves had a multitude of others wrapped over their shoulders. Jason had brought a basket full of foods that he figured Percy didn’t tend to eat. There were strawberries and cheeses, fancy sandwiches with clean, white flour and fresh slices of beef. He had also packed a small bottle of wine that he had been able to swipe from the kitchen, although he was fairly sure that the head baker, Dionysus, had seen him slip it beneath his shirt.

Strangely, when Jason had offered it to Percy, he had politely refused to drink any of it. The blonde placed it back in the basket, instead pouring them both some cows milk out of another container.

Even though the bottle of wine was out of sight, Jason kept catching Percy eye the basket warily every now and again.

Percy finished chewing and swallowed the remains of his sandwich, grabbing a strawberry and biting into that. “Where did you get all this fresh stuff anyway? The growing season is long over.” Percy asked, tilting his head a bit.

“Actually, a friend of my father, this inventor, created a spot outside the palace where he can grow food late into winter. We break up the dirt and plant in there. It’s an enclosed space full of glass and mirrors. He harvests the sunlight and reflects it into the plants. Besides needing to be watered since there’s no rain, it’s pretty easy to grow things.” Jason smiled, watching Percy’s interested expression.

“Sounds ingenious. I know I would never have thought of that.”

“Neither would I.” Jason frowned and shook his head. “I just wish my father would allow other people to use the idea. It’s genius and it would help a lot of people.”

Percy smiled and kissed him gently on the lips. “I think that you’ll be a great king someday. You’ll be able to do a lot of good,” he breathed, the corners of his mouth turning up into a wistfully happy smile.

Jason took a sharp breath before capturing his mouth. “You taste like strawberries.”

  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I may not update again for a while and I apologize for that. on the bright side, there will be a Percy/Jason/Nico story posted shortly. This one will also have more than one part and will possibly be published back and forth with this one here.  
> So, happy reading and i hope to publish more soon. :)


	8. Scratches

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello my little spuds! Look who's finally updated! Sorry for the long wait, I understand if you were frustrated, I was frustrated too. :)

Percy slipped into his house, cheeks rosy and heart fluttering. He closed the door behind himself and went to find his mother in the kitchen. Gabe didn’t seem to be home, most likely out with his cronies and wasting this month's earnings. He found Sally scrubbing clothes with the washboard and a bar of rough soap that she and Percy had made together. It was her most recent job, everybody wanted clean clothes and Sally could remove any spot. 

Her hands were red and wrinkly, she had sweat on her brow and Percy could see that she was tired. She looked up as Percy walked forward, a skip in his step. He grinned at her and planted a kiss against her cheek.

“Hello, Percy. What put you in such a good mood today?” Sally smiled, her mischievous tone coming back to her weary voice. 

“Nothing much,” he said trying to act nonchalant. He picked some dirt from underneath his nails and smiled coyly at his mother before she hit him in the head with a wet, soapy cotton shirt. Percy laughed loudly, hair plastered against his face. “Okay, okay. But I’m pretty sure you already know.”

“I have an inkling.” Sally narrowed her eyes playfully, her smile growing wider. 

Percy smiled and pulled a large, bulky package from the inside of his threadbare cloak. Its wrapping was very fancy, a creamy napkin with the royal emblem embroidered at the corner. He held it out to his mother who took hold of it with an eyebrow raised.

“What’s this?”

“A present. Compliments of his highness, Jason Grace.” Percy corrected his posture and changed his voice, trying to sound as snobby as possible. He couldn’t help but crack a smile when his mother squared her shoulders and puffed out her lips, playing her own part perfectly.

Sally gently unfolded the napkin, pulling back the corners and gasping slightly when she saw its contents. There was a cheese, white and triangular, perfectly crafted, two plump, red strawberries that were so bright and fresh, their skins glittered. Lastly, a fresh white bakers bun with thick slices of tender roast beef. 

“Well, this is a surprise.” Sally’s eyes were wide as she stared at the unexpected package. Then Percy saw hesitation. “Perseus. Where is this going?” She pursed her lips and crinkled her brow. She looked weary.

“What?” Percy asked, leaning against the kitchen table. His eyes flickered to away from his mother’s face, breaking eye contact.

“You know what I mean, Percy.” She said, standing up from her stool and placing the food on the table. She moved towards her son and smiled gently as she lifted his chin. “Come now. Look at me honey.” Percy turned his green eyes towards his mother’s reluctantly, suddenly embarrassed and scared.

“I don’t know, mom. I like him. He’s sweet and funny and...everything.”

“Everything, hm? That’s a lot of things.”

“Mom.” Percy groaned. 

“I’m just saying, Percy. He may seem like the whole world to you, at least for a while, but that may end and he could leave you alone and he could leave you heartbroken.” Percy recognized his mom's expression, recognized her tone of voice. 

“You’re thinking about dad, aren’t you?” Percy let his voice go soft, trying to sound as gentle as he could.

“How do you know me so well?” Sally smiled softly.

“I don’t, mom, I just take wild guesses and hope that I’m right.”

“Yes, alright, fine. Whatever you say, Percy.” Sally rolled her eyes.

_______________________________________...______________

 

Percy hummed softly, running a brush down across the horse’s brown flank. It had been more than a month and he still hadn’t gotten his raise. The days were getting colder, the sleeves of his threadbare shirt did little to stop the chill that creeped along Percy’s outstretched arms. His humming did nothing to stop his chattering teeth and he could swear that the horses were warmer than he was, wrapped up in fur and blankets to keep out the cold. His mother had gotten thinner over the last few weeks, their sad, vegetarian diet of potatoes, cabbage and carrots, saved before the first frost, was running low. Gabe had become more horrible than usual, throwing empty bottles and breaking things. He had given Percy a black eye and a nosebleed when he informed him that the last bottle of his smelly beer was gone.

As for Jason, he hadn’t heard from him in a while. Even after they had properly trained Ella, there was never a sure way to know just when they would both be free. 

Maybe the reason for his lack of a raise was the fact that every time he received a ribbon, he would immediately send it back and run to meet him at the mill. This would of course, result in him ditching his job without notice.

Jason had chastised him before because of it, but for some stupid reason, Percy just couldn’t send Ella back bare. It wasn’t like Jason’s schedule was always open and Percy couldn’t always sit waiting at the stables, hoping against hope that Ella would find him. He had other things to do. Sword lessons, even though they were becoming more and more uncomfortable under Luke’s annoying scrutiny. He had to help his mother out with the chores and most of the time, if he wasn’t home at a reasonable hour, he was terrified that Gabe would target his mother instead of him.

That was something that Percy just wouldn’t allow.

One of the horses whinnied and Percy was torn between laughing or huffing angrily when a tail smacked him in the face. Even in his bad mood, he couldn’t be angry with the horses. Of course that was difficult when the animal’s coarse tail sent off a wave of pain in his bruised nose.

Percy gritted his teeth and kept going.

Time passed, the air became colder and Percy felt like his fingers were going to freeze around the feed buckets. He wasn’t quite sure if it was the wind whistling, or the sound of wing beats, but the noise, whatever it was, sent him into a tizzy. He stumbled into the wind, trying to see through the haze of snow and ice that was falling. The weather must have worsened while he was tending to the horses. 

It was wing beats.

Ella was sitting outside on a post, head hidden behind her wing. She seemed to be trying to stay steady in the wailing wind, but was still rocking back and forth. Percy frowned and squinted his eyes a bit. He pushed forward, closing the distance between himself and Ella quickly. She fought against him for a moment, startled and frightened, but Percy held her tight against his side and walked slowly back to the horse stable. It was out of the wind and although it was still cold, Percy couldn’t help but consider it an improvement. 

Ella looked at him like he’d completely taken away her dignity. After gently pecking Percy’s hand, obviously annoyed with him, she began to shake her feathers. It created a flurry of wet, powdery snow and Percy held his arms up, laughing as droplets hit him in the face. There was a ribbon tied around Ella’s foot and it confused him that Jason would send the poor bird out into a winter storm. As much as Percy would have liked to see the prince, he refused to risk Ella’s life as well as his own just because Jason wanted to see him.

He untied the ribbon, slipping into a pocket. He’d wait for the storm to stop before sending Ella back. 

_______________________________...________________

Percy woke up, eyes feeling sore, Ella was tucked into his side and his body was throbbing where all his cuts and bruises painted him purple, yellow and red. Things seemed normal, the weather was still insane and he could hear the noises of the wind and trees creaking.

But there was something different. He felt warm and there was a cozy orange light filling up the room. Percy turned away from the wall and frowned confused when he realized that Jason was sitting in the corner. “What are you doing here?”

“Well, I had originally come to find Ella, but I’m glad that I found you too.” Jason smiled softly, he seemed to be a little worn out around the edges. His cloak was wet from melting snow, his hair was in great disarray and his eyes looked very tired. 

Percy’s frown deepened. “It’s snowing.”

“I noticed.” Jason smiled soft and coy.

“Why did you send Ella out into the storm? Didn’t you know she’d have trouble? That I wouldn’t be able to meet you? I mean, seriously, of all the days you ended up free, it had to be today?” All of Percy’s angry words tumbled out of his mouth before he could stop them and he bit his tongue before anything else could come out. Percy expected the prince to get angry, maybe do some yelling himself. But he didn’t. He just smiled softly and crawled forward over the dirty straw. Soon he was sitting next to Percy and pulling him up into his arms.

“Shhh. I’m sorry, Percy. I know that I should have come sooner. I’m sorry you had to rescue Ella. When I sent her, the sky was clear. Then the freak storm hit and I got worried. So I came looking for her and then I saw that you had her and she was safe and you were asleep and all I wanted to do was start kissing you, but I couldn’t and then I saw the bruises-”

“Did you walk here?” Percy interrupted, shifting a little so that he was sitting properly on Jason’s lap. Then he turned his head quickly, stretching a scab growing on his neck painfully, but it was not himself he was worried about. “Are you okay?” Percy placed his hands on either side of Jason’s face, searching for blue lips or wind rash. 

Jason smiled warmly and turned his head a bit to brush his smile against Percy’s worrying hand. “I’m fine, i’m fine. I was really cold before, but I warm up fast.” Percy withdrew his hands and moved so that he was straddling Jason, trying to lessen the pull of his injury while still facing the blonde boy.

“Are you sure?” Percy’s brow wrinkled again, then his expression turned remorseful. “Gods. I’m sorry I yelled at you. I guess I just missed you or something.”

“Don’t worry. I know that I’ve been making you wait for a long time, I’ve just been busy and my father’s sent servants to watch my every move- I think he suspects something. I keep disappearing on him whenever he doesn’t need me. My tutor’s been breathing down my neck too. I mean, I love her, but it’s like a trial every time I come back.”

Percy laughed quietly, “My mom knows what’s going on, every time I come back, she winks at me.” Jason let out a chuckle and then the mood suddenly changed as he let his hand come up, tracing the red, scabby lines on Percy’s muticoloured skin. Percy gulped and shivered, scared and feeling oh so loved at the same time.

“What is going on with you, Percy? Why are you always hurt?” His voice came out in a whisper, hushed as the white snow that was falling. 

Percy’s breathing was loud in his ears, but still steady. He should tell him, he thought, but he didn’t know if he was brave enough to.

So they sat there for a long while, Percy’s head on Jason’s strong shoulder, Jason’s hands folded around Percy’s firm and slender waist. The night grew old, but still, Jason didn’t speak another word, simply waiting, patient for Percy’s response. The prince had almost fallen asleep, watching his kerosene lantern flicker and burn in the corner when he heard Percy’s voice come out small and careful.

“My stepfather hurts me,” Percy said. “He drinks and he gambles and when he’s done, he hits me, he throws bottles. When his meals aren’t satisfying enough, he throws his knife. I never duck away. If I did, it would make it worse. He has bad aim, though. He usually only grazes me. I let him do it. I could fight back, I know I could, but I never do. I take the hits so my mom doesn’t have to. He’d kill her otherwise. I know he would. I could kill him. I really, really could.”  
Instead of growing weaker and shakier as he spoke, Percy seemed to be getting stronger and by the end of his words, there was defiance written on his face. Jason didn’t speak, he just traced Percy’s scars, Percy’s scratches, gently with his fingers, until they both fell asleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Badda bing badda boom. Congrats on your reading skills! I'm in a good mood today I think...Yes. Yes I am.

**Author's Note:**

> First chapter done. Do you like it? It's a bit cheesy, yes. But I love cheesy.


End file.
